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EYE ON INDIA JUNE 26, 2026 | The Indian Eye 6

Congress Seeks to Turn NEET Crisis

into Youth Mobilisation Campaign

With the NEET paper leak controversy continuing to resonate, the Congress is framing the examination

crisis as evidence of a broader failure in India’s education system to connect with young voters.

OUR BUREAU
New Delhi
he Congress has stepped up
its campaign over the National
TEligibility-cum-Entrance Test
(NEET), attempting to transform
student anger over examination irreg-
ularities into a wider political move-
ment ahead of key electoral battles.
By focusing on the financial and emo-
tional burden borne by students and
their families, the party is positioning
itself as the principal political voice of
India’s youth while seeking to put the
Centre on the defensive over the coun-
try’s competitive examination system.
The latest push came after Lead-
er of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s
interaction with students in Kota,
Rajasthan, one of India’s largest
coaching hubs. Through his out- AICC Meeting with senior Congress leaders of various states at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi (ANI)
reach programme, titled “Echo of
Students”, Gandhi argued that the remarks and expanding the criticism graphic groups. Young voters and first- The Congress’ communication
distress experienced by lakhs of stu- to include the government’s broader time voters are expected to play an strategy also illustrates how education
dents is not an isolated problem but economic priorities. increasingly influential role in upcom- is emerging as a major political issue
the consequence of systemic failures. “Just one figure from @rahul- ing elections, making issues related to alongside employment and inflation.
In a post on X following the pro- gandhi’s talk at Kota says it all. Money education, employment and oppor- By drawing comparisons between
gramme, Gandhi highlighted what he extracted by the system from NEET tunity central to political messaging. household expenditure on coaching
described as the enormous financial students and their families (22 lakh Rahul’s decision to visit Kota and the Union education budget, the
burden imposed by the examination students per year) = 1.32 Lakh Crore. reflects that strategy. Known as In- party is presenting education not only
ecosystem. India’s entire education budget = dia’s coaching capital, the city attracts as a governance challenge but also
“Just think--the amount of mon- 1.40 Lakh Crore,” she posted on X. thousands of NEET and engineering as an economic issue affecting mil-
ey families across the country spend She then linked the issue to the aspirants every year and has become lions of middle-class and lower-mid-
just on NEET preparation is equal Congress’ larger economic narrative. synonymous with the intense pressures dle-class households.
to the entire education budget of the “I have only one thing to add to associated with competitive examinations. Whether this campaign trans-
Government of India,” he wrote. it. Loans forfeited by the Government Equally important is the emo- lates into electoral gains remains to
The comparison has become the of India to its favourite businessmen: tional dimension of the Congress be seen. However, by centring its nar-
centrepiece of the Congress cam- 16 Lakh crores,” she said. campaign. By repeatedly referring to rative on students’ aspirations, family
paign. According to the party, nearly By combining concerns over ed- the sacrifices made by families, the expenditure and examination integ-
22 lakh students appear for the med- ucation with allegations of economic party is attempting to connect with rity, the Congress is attempting to
ical entrance examination every year, inequality, the Congress is attempting parents as well as students. occupy political space among young
generating expenditure of approxi- to broaden the political appeal of the The emphasis on “money ex- voters at a time when concerns over
mately Rs 1.32 lakh crore by students NEET issue beyond students prepar- tracted by the system” seeks to por- competitive examinations continue to
and their families on preparation, ing for medical entrance examina- tray examination preparation as an dominate public debate.
coaching and related costs. The par- tions. The party’s messaging suggests increasingly expensive and uncertain With the NEET re-examination
ty contrasted that figure with India’s that the crisis is not merely about a investment, particularly after the can- scheduled for June 21, the issue is like-
national education budget of Rs 1.40 paper leak or examination manage- cellation of the NEET examination ly to remain in the national spotlight.
lakh crore, arguing that the scale of ment but about what it describes as due to the paper leak. For families The Congress appears determined to
private spending reflects the pressures misplaced policy priorities. that devote significant financial re- ensure that the conversation extends
placed on aspiring medical students. For the Congress, the episode sources to coaching and preparation, beyond the conduct of a single exam-
Congress General Secretary Pri- provides an opportunity to engage repeated disruptions have become a ination to larger questions about ed-
yanka Gandhi Vadra amplified the directly with one of India’s largest source of both economic and psycho- ucational opportunity, accountability
message by quoting Rahul Gandhi’s and most politically significant demo- logical stress. and the future of India’s youth.

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